Cube Entertainment has a history of successful sub-units. Both Trouble Maker and Triple H brought together artists from different groups and gave them bold material to forge new avenues in …
Read More »[Review] Epik High team with Crush to deliver melancholy hip-hop on “Lovedrunk”
Epik High have been a staple in the Korean music scene for as long as I can remember, and their brand of emotive hip-hop has a timeless feel that is …
Read More »[Review] DALsooobin (Subin) gets creative on “Katchup” and it eventually pays off
K-pop groups rarely make it past their initial seven-year contract, and it seems to be an even trickier prospect for girl groups. We’ve seen a host of high-profile disbandments over …
Read More »[Review] SHINee’s Key gets assist from (G)I-DLE’s Soyeon on buoyant, feel-good “I Wanna Be”
For fans of second-generation idol acts like myself, it seems like all we hear these days is farewell/going-on-hiatus tracks. Most are wistful ballads or “please don’t forget me” dirges, so …
Read More »[Review] TXT keep things simple on bright & energetic debut with “Crown”
One of my biggest K-pop new year’s wishes was that boy groups would ditch the moodiness and go brighter, so I was delighted when it was announced that Big Hit Entertainment’s …
Read More »[Review] GOT7 sub-unit JUS2 (JB & Yugyeom) debut with effortless, understated “Focus On Me”
After the success of JJ Project, it’s time for GOT7 to spawn a second sub-unit. JUS2 is formed by members Yugyeom and JB, and comes after a year in which …
Read More »[Review] Boyfriend’s status unclear, but “Stay The Way You Are” gets the job done
I’m honestly a little confused when it comes to Boyfriend’s current status. Their contracts would have expired last year, but I never remember hearing news of a renewal. As much …
Read More »[Review] Ha Sung Woon sleepwalks through his “Bird” solo debut
Ha Sung Woon cut his teeth as a member of underrated idol group HOTSHOT, and more than proved himself as a vital part of K-pop sensation WANNA ONE. However, his …
Read More »[Review] (G)I-DLE take a step back with “Senorita”
It’s been over six months since we’ve heard from (G)I-DLE as a group, but leader Soyeon has been a constant presence in K-pop since then. She featured in a special SM Entertainment …
Read More »[Review] Seven O’Clock play things safe on “Get Away”, which is probably not what they need
Boy group Seven O’Clock released a truly underrated mini album last October, led by a pair of equally strong title tracks. Unfortunately, the group’s work seems under-funded and under-promoted, making …
Read More »